Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Haiti needs water, not occupation

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Places » Latin America Donate to DU
 
Downwinder Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-21-10 01:25 AM
Original message
Haiti needs water, not occupation
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
EFerrari Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-21-10 01:56 AM
Response to Original message
1. "Gauze, not guns" is how one doctor put it on Amy's show today.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Judi Lynn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-21-10 03:22 PM
Response to Original message
2. Good quote from a man working with Partners in Health in Haiti:
~snip~

Dr Evan Lyon, of Partners in Health, a medical aid group famous for its heroic efforts in Haiti, referred to "misinformation and rumours … and racism" concerning security issues.
We've been circulating throughout the city until 2:00 and 3:00 in the morning every night, evacuating patients, moving materials. There's no UN guards. There's no US military presence. There's no Haitian police presence. And there's also no violence. There is no insecurity.
The good articles on the earthquake aftermath written by non-corporate journalists all confirm the true situation, putting the focus exactly where it belongs.

Thank you for the article by Mark Weisbrot.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Peace Patriot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-21-10 03:35 PM
Response to Original message
3. Mark Weisbrot is THE most reliable English-language source on Latin America.
His research, analysis and understanding of Latin American issues are unparalleled.

So, what he says about the Haitian aid situation and US policy carries great weight with me. I've been withholding criticism myself because the situation is so dire. But France, Brazil, Venezuela, and Doctors Without Borders, the UN Food Program and other aid organizations, recently "broke ranks" (among aid givers) to criticize the US intention of "occupying" Haiti, which they are all saying has critically delayed crucial aid.

Weisbrot pulls these criticisms together, places them in the context of previous US policy in Haiti, and briefly discusses both the long- and -short term situation.

Long term, the questions are Haitian sovereignty and democracy--which the US has grossly interfered with in the past--and items like the IMF immediately jumping in, via this disaster, to saddle Haiti with humongous DEBT.

Short term, water! Instead of using Haiti's extremely limited airport space to infuse more and more and more US troops into Haiti--which are not needed right now--the US military should be doing air drops of water and food, and also opening the air space to mostly medical and other aid.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Thu Dec 26th 2024, 04:22 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Places » Latin America Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC